How has your upbringing shaped where you are today?

• “It has given me more of a reason to try to get to where I am today. My father is very big on education. Even if I got a B he would interrogate me and ask me why I got a B and I had to prove to him that I tried to get that B and if he didn’t believe it then he would put me on punishment. But, if I got all A’s he would give me $25 every A. When I got older, I got more money. So, I think that was important…making me unconsciously realize that education is important. Even though I was just doing it for the money, at first. But I also think a lot of that has to do with him being from where we are from and knowing what could happen if you don’t take education seriously. So, I think even though most people would think where I’m from is bad, I think it was actually a good thing.”

Do you believe the grey area is temporary or permanent?

• “Permanent. It will change, sometimes maybe black is black hole and white is known. It will vary between gradients of black and white, but still grey. If it’s not grey then you either complacent or you reached all and beyond. I don’t think anybody ever reached the all and beyond.” 

Why did you decide to go to college?

• “Because I didn’t have a choice. I literally had to leave my parents house or go to school. It was something that was never left as an option for me.”

Was college mandatory in your family?

• “Yes.”

How has your perspective of college shaped from childhood into your adolescence?

• “I don’t think it changed between childhood and adolescence. I think it changed now when I am an adult and have graduated.”
• “View of college. To me, it was a checkbox. This is what you do to be able to do what you need to do or have a job to make a decent living.  I have to x,y,z as a requirement. A fun requirement.”